Volkswagen Tiguan boot space, practicality and safety

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• Large and flexible loadspace trumps key rivals
• Enormous array of cubbies to hide valuables in
• Will paler interior trims stand the test of time?

How much space is there?

A large part of any SUV’s appeal is its practicality and the second-generation Volkswagen Tiguan is no exception in this respect. Depending on the specification you choose you’ll find an assortment of storage pockets and cubbies from dash-top lidded ones to drawers under the front seats.

It’s not only where you can carry things, but how they’re stowed. Many Tiguans have a front passenger seat which folds completely over to enable longer items to be swallowed with ease. It’s a really useful feature and complements the 40:20:40 split-folding rear-seat arrangement.

Rear seat space is better than in the related Seat Ateca and Skoda Karoq because the Tiguan is a little longer. Leg and head room is good for the class, although we’d also suggest looking at the Kia Sportage and Hyundai Tucson if that’s important to you. Regular Tiguans are five-seat only, although a seven seat Tiguan Allspace is available.

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Boot space and storage

That’s not the back seat’s only trick: in a 60:40 split, the seat base slides forwards and back, increasing the Tiguan’s boot volume from 520 litres to 615 litres in the process. Those figures outrank the BMW X1, Ateca, Karoq and Nissan Qashqai, but the Sportage and Tucson get awfully close without having to slide the rear bench forward.

It’s worth noting, however, that models fitted with the eHybrid powertrain lose a large chunk of boot space – bringing that load area down to 476 litres. That’s because the location of the batteries under the rear seats has necessitated the re-siting of the petrol tank below the boot floor. That’s fairly typical of the class, although the Sportage and Tucson aren’t anywhere near as negatively impacted.

Fold the seats over, creating a near-flat load area, and the VW is still at the pointy end of the class. In fact, there’s precious-little we can fault the Tiguan on, practicality-wise, save for how fresh some of the lighter-hued fabric interior trims might remain once they’ve spent a few months running the gauntlet of family life.

Is it easy to park?

The Tiguan falls into the mid-sized SUV category. Front and rear parking sensors are standard on Life models and up, while a rear view camera is standard on Elegance and above.

It can also be specced with Volkswagen’s Parking Assistant. This can autonomously park the car for you. It’s pretty slick and effortless. Press the button, pull forwards, let the sensors do their work, then sit back and marvel at the steering wheel moving on its own. It’s quicker to parallel park yourself, but where’s the fun in that?

View full specs

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Safety

• Five-star Euro NCAP crash test rating
• Pop-up bonnet for pedestrian protection
• Raft of additional safety gear available

Safety is a key consideration when buying an SUV as a family car and the Volkswagen Tiguan is packed with a wealth of standard features, as well as several optional ones, to maintain the security of its occupants. It received a full five-star rating from Euro NCAP when it was tested in 2016, although it’s worth pointing out that the tests have got tougher since then.

All Tiguans come complete with seven airbags – including one for the driver’s knee – as well as a raft of electronic safety aids, such as autonomous emergency braking, reducing the likelihood of you having to experience any of them being deployed.

Pedestrians are offered a further degree of protection thanks to active bonnet mounts which lift the body panel up and away from the engine in the event of a frontal collision.

Depending on the specification chosen, additional safety kit will either be standard or optional at extra cost, including a very effective adaptive cruise control system, a head-up display pod which is a paragon of clarity, matrix LED headlamps and various alerts for changing lanes without indicating or reversing out into oncoming traffic.